Pac-12 football: Midseason bowl projections

*** Second in my four-part series on Pac-12 football at the halfway point. All-conference team/awards coming later today, along with an item on the Pac-12 Networks …

The Pac-12, which sent seven teams into the postseason in 2011, should have no trouble equaling that figure and could very well surpass it. Oregon has already qualified, four others are one win away and, ahem, everyone is eligible.

In fact, according to my scientific calculations, the league will have nine bowl-eligible teams.

(Method of calculation: Write down current record; look at upcoming schedule; assess prospects for each game; consider the unexpected; tally up final record; slot into available bowls. Verrrrrrry scientific.)

How can nine teams be bowl-eligible?

Simple. I heaped loss upon loss on WSU, Utah and Colorado, which might have been a mistake in the case of the Utes.

Projections will be revised (multiple times) in the final six weeks.

*** USCCurrent record: 5-1Projected record: 11-2Bowl: RoseComment: Trojans lose once more (perhaps to Oregon in the Coliseum) but win the South outright. Barkley brings his A-game to Pac-12 championship, regardless of location.

*** OregonCurrent record: 6-0Projected record: 11-2Bowl: FiestaComment: Ducks lose once in regular season and the Pac-12 title game to USC. (Don’t say the Trojans can’t win in Eugene; they did it last year.) Fiesta happily scoops up the Ducks.

*** Oregon StateCurrent record: 5-0Projected record: 10-2Bowl: AlamoComment: Beavers have enough tough games left to make me think two losses are coming (somewhere, somehow). No In-N-Out in San Antonio, unfortunately.

*** Arizona StateCurrent record: 5-1Projected record: 8-4Bowl: HolidayComment: With Oregon, UCLA, Oregon State, USC and Arizona left, the Devils could lose more than three games the rest of the way. (Or they could only lose one or two.)

*** StanfordCurrent record: 4-2Projected record: 8-4Bowl: SunComment: Projecting the Cardinal to win two of its four tough games (at Cal, OSU, at Oregon, at UCLA). Its 6-3 conference record would make it a must-take for the Sun.

*** UCLACurrent record: 5-2Projected record: 7-5Bowl: Las VegasComment: Not sure what path the Bruins take to five losses (ASU, USC and ???), but somebody has to limp to the finish.

*** CalCurrent record: 3-4Projected record: 6-6Bowl: Kraft Fight HungerComment: The Bears beat Stanford — I picked ’em to win the game before the season; gotta stick with it — and collect Nos. 5 and 6 against Utes and Huskies.

*** WashingtonCurrent record: 3-3Projected record: 6-6Bowl: InsightComment: Huskies win their final three (Utah, Colo and WSU). No spot available in the Pac-12 lineup, but B1G awfulness creates an opening in the Tempe-based Insight.